Goodnight Sweetheart: Musical future for time travel show? - BBC News BBC News Goodnight Sweetheart: Musical future for time travel show? By Tim Masters Entertainment and arts correspondent, BBC News 17 November 2013 Read more about sharing. Close share panel Image caption Nicholas Lyndhurst as Gary (centre), with (clockwise from top left) Victor McGuire as Ron, Christopher Ettridge as PC Reg Deadman, Dervla Kirwan as Phoebe and Michelle Holmes as Yvonne Twenty years after the first episode of sitcom Goodnight Sweetheart, its creators still hope it will return, as a stage musical. Comedy writers Laurence Marks and Maurice Gran say that while there are no plans to bring the show back to the small screen, they are "some way down the line of doing a stage musical". They have long had the desire to bring Goodnight Sweetheart to the stage, and a musical version would follow their other musical projects Dreamboats and Petticoats and Save the Last Dance for Me . Goodnight Sweetheart was first broadcast on BBC One on 18 November 1993.

It starred Nicholas Lyndhurst as married television repair man Gary Sparrow who discovers a time portal down Duckett's Passage in London's East End and is mysteriously transported back to Blitz-torn London in 1940. When all is said and done, it was really comedy about adultery. Laurence Marks In the first episode he wanders into the Royal Oak, which he initially mistakes for a World War Two theme pub. He is instantly attracted to Phoebe Bamford, the daughter of the grumpy landlord. After an air-raid occurs, Gary comes to realise that he's not dreaming and really has gone back in time. He begins to live a double life in both the 1940s and the 1990s. Speaking on the eve of the show's 20th birthday, Gran recalls how he pitched the idea to the BBC head of comedy in the early 1990s. "I said, basically it's a story of a man who's in love with two women, but one of them is at least 80 and might well be dead." Goodnight Sweetheart ran for six series on BBC One between 1993 and 1999.

The initial cast included Michelle Holmes as Gary's wife Yvonne Sparrow, Victor McGuire as his best friend Ron Wheatcroft, while his war-time companions were Christopher Ettridge as bumbling PC Reg Deadman and Dervla Kirwan as Phoebe. One of the running gags of the show is that Gary entertains the war-time locals with hit songs from The Beatles and Elton John, which have yet to be written. Image caption Phoebe (Dervla Kirwan) and Gary (Nicholas Lyndhurst) share a moment in the Royal Oak He also reinvents himself as a British spy who has spent time in America. In the 1990s, Gary's wife Yvonne is unaware that her husband is a time-travelling adulterer, with only Ron in on the secret. "When all is said and done, it was really comedy about adultery," says Marks. "Because he thinks it's a dream at first," adds Gran, "we realised this gave Gary carte blanche to act in an uninhibited way and pretend to be a songwriter and spy.

In the past he's a hero, and in the present he's a nobody Maurice Gran "In the past he's a hero, and in the present he's a nobody." The challenge for Marks and Gran was how to make the duplicitous Gary Sparrow keep the sympathy of the audience. "We knew that in order to make this show succeed we could only cast Nicholas Lyndhurst - because we felt everyone loved him and that no matter what he did people would continue to love him." At the time he was cast, Lyndhurst was already a huge star from playing Rodney Trotter in Only Fools and Horses. Marks and Gran's other TV shows include Birds of a Feather, Relative Strangers, The New Statesman and Shine on Harvey Moon. They decided from the outset that the reason why Gary Sparrow could travel back to the 1940s was "a question we resolved never to answer". In the third season of the show, Gary sets up a WW2 memorabilia shop in a plaza that has been built on the site of Duckett's Passage. His stock consists of items brought back from war-time London.

Like other time travel stories, Goodnight Sweetheart raises questions about the effect that visiting the past can have on the future. Comedian Richard Herring, a self-confessed obsessive of the show, has bemoaned Garry Sparrow's paucity of ambition. "He could have become the wealthiest man in the world or killed Hitler, or at least checked out the next pub down the road to make sure that the barmaid there wasn't better looking," he wrote earlier this year. "Gary changed the lives of the people he came into contact with, he couldn't change events," asserts Marks. Image caption Emma Amos (left) played Yvonne and Elizabeth Carling played Phoebe in series four-to-six "We never once sat down and said, 'Why don't we write an episode where he kills Hitler?' No. It was a domestic comedy. It was a love story." Twenty years on from its first episode, Goodnight Sweetheart still enjoys a devoted fan base. "It's left a huge lasting impression all over the world judging by the emails we receive," says Marks.

Among the dozens of emails that arrive each week are many requesting a special episode that catches up with Gary, who [SPOILER ALERT - skip this bit if you don't want to know how the series ends] who was last seen on VE Day in May 1945. "The reason we stopped it when the war ended is that it needs jeopardy to drive it," explains Gran. So what are the latest plans for the stage version of Goodnight Sweetheart? The writers say it could come as early as 2014 and would feature music from the 1940s and the 1980s. "It would reflect the series," says Marks. "It would be a much more elaborate story and it would contain the same characters. "I think there is life in Gary Sparrow yet." Gary Sparrow | Goodnight Sweetheart Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia Portrayed by: Nicholas Lyndhurst Gary Sparrow is the fictional main character in the long-running TV sitcom Goodnight Sweetheart which lasted from 1993 to 1999 and ran for six series. The character is portrayed by Nicholas Lyndhurst, most famous as Rodney Trotter from Only Fools and Horses.

Biography Edit In the first episode of the first series it is revealed that Gary Sparrow is a somewhat bored TV repair man living in 1990s London, in the area of Cricklewood. He currently married to Yvonne, who is a sterotypical power woman of the time and corporate minded yet socially and environmentally aware. While he is out on a TV repair job he finds himself in an unfamiliar part of the East End and asks a policeman for directions. Unknown to him, this is actually the grandson of PC Reg Deadman - one of the first characters Gary meets when he first stumbles across the time portal that leads him back to 1940s London of yesteryear. There, he also meets Phoebe Bamford and her father Eric who run the local pub - The Royal Oak. The first time Gary enters the Royal Oak, he thinks its some 1940s themed pub, but it is only when an air raid occurs that he realises he's travelled back in time.

Once discovering that he can get back to the present, Gary begins making regular visits back to the forties and ends up having an affair with Phoebe - who at the time is still married to Donald Bamford - a British soldier serving in the Second World War. Gary's only modern day best friend is Ron Wheatcroft - who is married to Stella - and he is able to confide in him about his travels as they get more complicated, such as when he and Phoebe get married or when she has his baby, a son called Michael. Because Ron is a printer, Gary is able to get him to replicate white fivers - the money used at the time - and other items such as ration or identity cards although this ends up eventually being responsible for Ron's marriage disintergrating as the series continues. Ron also helps him to come up with excuses to explain to Yvonne where he's been when travelling back in time to the past. Because he is from the future, Gary is able to tell people about when certain wartime events are going to happen. In one episode, Is Your Journey Really Nescessary? he darts back to warn Pheobe, Reg and Eric when an air raid is going to happen.

Instead of telling any of them that he's from the future - he instead claims he's a secret agent and in another episode that also he's going to America. Gary also plays classic songs on the piano - for example, When I'm Sixty-Four and pretending he wrote them. In reality, he's just an ordinary bloke living in another time and married to another woman and actually also committing fraud. Neither Phoebe (who was ill in hospital and unconcious when Gary tried to tell her) or Reg (who was drunk when Gary tried to tell him) find out that Gary is a time traveller from the future. In the final episode, Accentuate the Positive, the time portal closes for good, leaving him trapped in the past permanently with Phoebe, son Michael and Reg. Thus Gary and Yvonne are seperated, with his best friend Ron having to tell her the whole truth in the 1990s.

Goodnight Sweetheart to return for one-off special - BBC News Goodnight Sweetheart to return for one-off special 5 July 2016 Close share panel Image caption Michelle Holmes and Dervla Kirwan starred as Lyndhurst's love interests in the show Actor Nicholas Lyndhurst is to take a step back in time in a revival of the BBC sitcom Goodnight Sweetheart. Lyndhurst starred as a time-travelling TV repairman who had a second life in 1940s London in the popular 1990s show. Writers Laurence Marks and Maurice Gran said his character Gary Sparrow had been "trying for the last 17 years to find a way back to the present". The one-off special will be part of a season marking the 60th anniversary of Hancock's Half Hour's first broadcast. The season will also include new episodes of Are You Being Served?, Steptoe and Son, Till Death Us Do Part, Porridge, Keeping Up Appearances and Up Pompeii!.

Image caption The show saw Sparrow reinvent himself as a British spy who has spent time in America Goodnight Sweetheart was first broadcast on BBC One on 18 November 1993. The initial cast included Michelle Holmes as Gary's wife Yvonne Sparrow, Victor McGuire as his best friend Ron Wheatcroft, while his war-time companions were Christopher Ettridge as bumbling PC Reg Deadman and Dervla Kirwan as Phoebe. The writing duo said the new episode would feature "much-loved old Goodnight Sweetheart friends and one or two new ones". BBC Comedy Commissioning controller Shane Allen said the whole season was "geared towards giving comedy royalty their due recognition". "In Goodnight Sweetheart, we have heavyweight writing and performing talents reunited in this hugely popular and fondly remembered show," he said. "The conceptual update is sublime and it was heart-skipping stuff to read - it's an absolute belter." Follow us on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts , on Instagram at bbcnewsents , or email entertainment.news@bbc.co.uk .

"Goodnight Sweetheart" Reviews & Ratings - IMDb IMDb trailers and videos full cast and crew trivia official sites memorable quotes Overview 33 out of 35 people found the following review useful: Gentle comedy from United Kingdom 13 May 2006 This is a lovely, gentle comedy. Nicholas Lyndhurst proves his versatility in his portrayal of Gary Sparrow, a man genuinely torn between two women. The two female leads are also interesting - sarcastic Yvonne, dynamic yet insecure and practical Pheobe, strong but also insecure. Despite the fact that he is a cheat, you find yourself sympathising with Gary's situation. He loves and needs both women, and his struggle is agonising. Some of the episodes are a bit predictable, but even this is forgivable and the series as a whole is well worth a watch. The music, clothing and behaviour of the characters is nostalgic, touching, funny and sad all at once. Fabulous! Was the above review useful to you? 29 out of 32 people found the following review useful: Brilliantly amusing English time travel TV series.

from Sydney, Australia 14 December 1998 This brilliantly amusing English time travel TV series concerns the dual life of Gary Sparrow, a self-centred coward who journeys back and forth between modern day London and the London of World War 2. Gary loves two women equally, runs a collectables shop specialising in, you guessed it, WW2 nostalgia, and has a long-suffering friend, Ron, the only one in whom he confides. A fine cast and faultless scripts will quickly hook you as it did this jaded TV buff.. Was the above review useful to you? 26 out of 28 people found the following review useful: A great show, much missed! from London, England, UK 24 November 2006 Goodnight Sweetheart was a highly entertaining comedy that used a sci-fi plot device as its driving force. However, the heart of show was always Gary Sparrow's(Lyndhurst) interaction with the historical events occurring around him. Gary's endearing best friend Ron(played by Victor McGuire) was one of my favourite characters.

As the time-travel takes place during the six years of World War 2,(in parallel with the 90s) it was always inevitable that the show would end after the war had fully played out. Gary's relationship with his wives in both eras was never easy, adding an element of drama to the show. I miss this show greatly as it was always funny and a delight to watch. The brilliance of this comedy was always underrated in my opinion. I love this show! 5 May 2005 *** This review may contain spoilers *** Love this Show, I would not miss it, takes me back to the 40's and makes one realize just how lucky we are now, although we complain about things, We had it tough in those days. The program is amusing, and that is what is was meant to be. Think all the Actors played their parts very well, Loved Ron and Reg. The American Episode was near the mark, they thought they had won the war for us. And that is what they were like. I remember the Underground Stations-Air Raid Shelters. Loved the Noel Coward Episodes. Seeing the Ritz. OH!

Yes Did I tell you that I love the Show, it is still on here in Sydney on UK TV. Thanks to the Actors and Writers etc: Was the above review useful to you? 12 out of 13 people found the following review useful: Charming 21 June 2006 *** This review may contain spoilers *** This is a charming comedy show, which uses a single sci-fi device - a time portal - to create the whole series. The 'hero' lives two lives with two women, but he does not fear discovery, for each are 50 years apart in time. There are some wonderful temporal paradox scenes, and the writers do explore many of the possibilities that the situation would allow. The cast is fine, my own favourite being Gary's friend Ron, his only confidant about the time portal, who does eventually manage to use it too. Gary is from the 1990s and of course has full knowledge of wartime events Was the above review useful to you? 11 out of 12 people found the following review useful: Worth Watching!

from W.Sussex, England 20 December 2006 Great series worth watching, although for me I preferred the earlier episodes when Dervla Kirwin played Phoebe. The actress who played her in the later episodes was much harder - Phoebe was a tough little cockney girl, but there was still an appealing softness about her which was lacking after the changeover, whereas both actresses who played Yvonne were great. Nick Lyndhurst as Gary was brilliant, and loved his sidekick, Ron. The only thing I really felt towards the end was that the plot had grown somewhat exaggerated... probably hence my preference for the earlier series which were more convincing. But I have all of them on DVD and thoroughly enjoying revisting the series after originally seeing it on TV. Was the above review useful to you? 7 out of 7 people found the following review useful: Outstanding Time Travel Sitcom 4 August 2010 *** This review may contain spoilers *** 'Goodnight Sweetheart' was one of the classic British sitcoms from the 1990's.

It was on in a decade where we enjoyed 'One Foot in the Grave' 'Men Behaving Badly' and 'Father Ted' Though quite rightly, the seventies is regarded as the golden era of British sitcom, the nineties were also right up there in my opinion. Gary Sparrow (Nicholas Lyndhurst) is just an ordinary man. He's a TV repairman. He's married to the sarcastic Yvonne (Michelle Holmes) and his best mate is Ron (Victor McGuire). One day, he is called to a place called Ducket's Passage, he goes down the road and he time travels back to 1940's London, where the Blitz is taking place. He goes into a pub called the Royal Oak. The Landlord is Eric(David Ryall) and he owns the pub with his daughter Phoebe (Dervla Kerwin). Gary begins dating Phoebe in war time London, posing as an MI5 agent. This leads to him stuck between two worlds. The second series begins with the news Eric has died in an air raid, so pub regular and policeman PC Reg Deadman (Christoper Ettridge) begins working in the pub part-time.

However though it looks as though Gary's time travelling life could be over come the third series, when workmen start building on Ducket's Passage. He has to wait until the shops they are building are built and he opens a shop called 'Blitz and Pieces' where he sells War memorabilia he picks up from the 1940's for practically nothing and sells them. Series four sees Gary and Phoebe marry, so Gary in some ways becomes a bigamist and Phoebe also gives birth, so Gary has a Son named Michael. Series five sees Yvonne become a multi millionaire and Gary and Phoebe buy a flat up west and live a floor below Noel Coward (David Benson). As Gary owns the flat, Ron moves into it in the present day. The final series sees the whole saga resolved and Gary gets stuck in 1945. The fourth series saw two major cast changes with Michelle Holmes and Dervla Kerwin leaving and being replaced by Emma Amos and Elizabeth Carling. I did prefer Holmes as Yvonne than Carling as Holmes was a bit more sarcastic. Yet it didn't really effect the series that much as without doubt the later episodes were the best.

Nicholas Lyndhurst was outstanding as Gary, as was Victor McGuire as Ron and Christopher Etteridge as Reg. The later episodes were the better ones in my opinion, as the plots became much more adventurous and led to some of the best episodes. It is little surprise therefore to see the classic episodes appearing in the latter half of the sitcom, such as 'The Leaving of Liverpool' where Gary and Phoebe visit Phoebe's Grandmother in Liverpool. A great two parter was 'We Don't Want to Lose You' followed by 'But we think we're going to have to' where Gary has to take on the Nazi's with the help of the French resistance. Another classic was 'The 'ouses' Between Us' where Gary goes through the wrong time gate and ends up in 1888 and he solves why Jack the Ripper was never caught. But the best episode for me was 'When Two World's Collide' where Phoebe ends up in the 1990's and there's a brief moment where she meets Yvonne. The episode after due to an uncontrolled time gate sees Ron in the 1940's much to Gary's annoyance.

Due to it being a romantic sitcom, not every episode was hilarious though all were well written, with wonderful plotting and many episodes were very funny and led to pain in laughter. Yet it was also full of dramatic moments as well, such as when Gary meets Reg in 1998 where he is suffering from dementia. Another very sad moment was when nobody attended Reg's Police retirement party. It was very sad for me as by that point Reg had emerged as my favourite character in the series. 'Goodnight Sweetheart' continues to get repeated on ITV3 and all the episodes can be enjoyed on DVD. It is a classic sitcom in my opinion. You also learn a lot as well from a Historical point of view. If I could be any sitcom character, I would be Gary Sparrow, being able to time travel with two women on the go would be awesome. Was the above review useful to you? 8 out of 10 people found the following review useful: Lets continue where we left off in 1945 from United Kingdom 4 February 2007 My family and I watched every episode of Goodnight Sweetheart and found it brilliant. It contained comedy, serious moments, and noted both it's nostalgic and modern content.

The script writers were brilliant. However, I feel, as I am sure millions of others feel, it should return to our screens, continuing from where it left off. It had so many open ends, and could continue in any direction, even down to Ron or Phoebe being able to step through time.. What happened to the night club? where did Garry and Phoebe vanish to? There were dozens of other unanswered questions, so many that I would need more than a thousand words. So come on BBC, how about some more Goodnight Sweetheart that would bring "Millions" of viewers flocking back to you.....Any Chance?. Was the above review useful to you? 5 out of 5 people found the following review useful: Underrated British comedy! 4 April 2008 Goodnight sweetheart is one of the most underrated British comedies to date. Brilliant plot, superb characters and the story lines get better and better as the series goes on. Perhaps people's perceptions of this great show are tainted by the fact Nicholas Lyndhurst plays the main character as people still see him as "Rodney".

In GNSH Lyndhurst is able to show what a great actor he is unlike his previous one dimensional character in "Only fools " He is joined by a great cast which really makes the show more enjoyable to watch. It is light hearted, foolhardy and slapstick. If you're interested in time travel and comedy then this is for you. If you love British comedy then this is for you. Awesome! I wish it would make some kind of comeback. I'm in the process of writing a "spin-off" of the show based on Gary Sparrow's grandson for a university assignment. How amazing it would be if something like this actually came true! Was the above review useful to you? 7 out of 9 people found the following review useful: One of the best shows ever! from Ireland 24 June 2010 I don't think there's anything about this show I don't like, the comedy is top notch, the actors are perfect for their roles and the mix of Sci-Fi is just right, not too heavy handed. For comedy lovers it's a must see, for sci-fi fans it's a must see, for people with a heartbeat it's a must see.

Lyndhurst and McGuire are perfect, you'd really believe they're best friends, the chemistry between all the actors is amazing. Hats off to the casting crew and direction. Actually the only flaw I can think of about this show is that it ended. After all, what show could make you nostalgic for a time period you weren't even alive in? I'd give it a 20 rating if I could. Was the above review useful to you? Page 1 of 3: Goodnight Sweetheart (Series) - TV Tropes Goodnight Sweetheart You need to login to do this. Get Known if you don't have an account Share WMG An unusual Brit Com whose premise is that Gary Sparrow (played by Only Fools and Horses ' Nicholas Lyndhurst ), a down-on-his-luck TV repairman in a failing marriage, discovers a time portal which leads to 1940s London . Once there, he meets a young woman and they fall in love. And now suddenly there's no need to go through the trauma of a divorce in the 1990s, because he can have two separate lives...

Gary gets away with it by having his best friend Ron, a printer, print him easily-forged 1940s white banknotes to fund his past lifestyle. He justifies his knowledge of the future events of World War II to Phoebe (his past wife) by claiming to be a secret agent, while he says he earns his money as a singer-songwriter, passing off much of the next fifty years of popular music as his own. Eventually Gary ends up running a 1940s memorabilia shop built over the time portal, whose merchandise, while genuine, is suspiciously well preserved. Came fiftieth in Britain's Best Sitcom . The series originally ran from 1993 to 1999, a one off revival episode aired in 2016. Provides Examples Of: Accidental Pervert : Gary ends up groping the new owner of the Royal oak, when he discovers her bent over in her underwear in the bedtroom, thinking she is Phoebe Acting Unnatural : When Ron sucessfully travels back to the past, his attempts to fit in end up with the locals believing him to be clinically insane.

Advice Backfire : Ron goes to Gary for help with his failing marriage, Gary having two women seems the obvious choice. Gary's advice of staying out all night to leave Stella guessing, backfires spectacularly. All Girls Want Bad Boys / Evil Is Sexy : In one episode the portal is struck by lightening just as Gary enters it and he's split into multiple Garys, Yvonne (and, to a lesser extent, Phoebe) is quite taken with Evil Gary. Ambiguously Gay : Phoebe's husband Donald, he only married her because his family forced him into it and had had plans to move abroad with another man who he was very upset about the death of. He happily handed Phoebe over to Gary, admitting he didn't love her but was fond of her in a brotherly way and wanted her to be happy. Anti-Hero : Gary.

He's a bigamist, an adulterer, a plagiarist, treats his friends Ron and Reg poorly, and apparently has no qualms about threatening Britain's wartime economy by passing around large sums of counterfeit money.note This was actually considered a serious issue: In 1942 the Germans launched Operation Bernhard, a plan to wreck the British economy by flooding the country with forged banknotes. Artistic License ï¿½ History : Surprisingly averted, although Gary does meet some major figures, his interactions with them, could have happened in the history we know today. Bad Present : After Gary accidentally changes the past, he travels back to discover that amongst other things, Thatcher had been in power for over 20 years. Big Eater : Ron, who can't decide between Indian and Chinese takeaway, so he has both. Black Comedy : Some parts could be extremely black, not surprising considering half the show was set during the second world war. Perhaps the blackest part was when Gary met his old friend Reg Deadman (From the 1940s) in an assisted living facility in the 90s where he was suffering from severe dementia.

Contrived Coincidence : In the final episode, Yvonne and Ron are in Gary's Mayfair flat just as he is writing his message to Ron on the wall back in the 1940s, revealing that he is now trapped in the past. There is probably no other way Ron could have convinced Yvonne that her husband was really a time traveller. Denser and Wackier : Started out as a fairly straight sitcom about a cheating husband with a time travel twist but in the final series we had Gary being split into multiple Garys, a time travelling teenage criminal from the future and Jack the Ripper . Downer Ending : In the final episode Gary discovers the time portal has closed , meaning he will be trapped in the past for good. In spite of everything, he and Yvonne are genuinely upset that they won't see each other again. In a touching last scene, they speak to each other, unknowingly, on opposite sides of the now-closed portal. Gary: I'm never gonna see Yvonne, or Ron, or Baywatch ever again! Everybody Smokes : In the 40s.

Gary, at first, is shocked and tries to warn Phoebe of the danger to her health but by Series Three he's happily puffing away himself after an Of Course I Smoke false start. However, he does convince her to give up during her pregnancy. Flanderization : Compare the portrayal of Reg Dedman in the pilot with what he would become by series 2. He essentially transforms from a dopey yet competent constable into a man who is an older and thinner version of Chief Wiggum. Identical Grandson : Reg has an identical grandson in the nineties and an identical grandfather in the Victorian era and Ron has an identical grandfather in the forties. There's also a Victorian woman identical to Yvonne, who is presumably an ancestor of hers. Jack the Ripper : Appears in one episode where Gary accidentally time-travels the wrong way. Turns out his mysterious disappearance was because he, too, was a time traveller, and got run over in modern London. Henpecked Husband : Gary to Yvonne It's no wonder he decided to stay with Phoebe in the end and Ron to Stella. Karma Houdini : Stella.

She was continually abusive to Ron, cheated on him, and then blackmailed him into accepting a one-sided divorce (following an altercation with Stella's fancy man when Ron came home early) that ended up leaving him without his money, home, or business. Killed Offscreen : Phoebe's father (a main character in Series One) was killed in a bomb blast in between Series' One and Two. Knife-Throwing Act : Part of the entertainment troupe in "How I Won the War". A Little Something We Call "Rock and Roll" : Gary, a pianist, would play songs from the future and claim he had written them himself. By the end of the series, he has laid claim to most of The Beatles ' back catalogue. One of the show's cleverer aspects was that they were sometimes arranged in a more contemporary style, such as a jazz version of California Dreamin'. The Load : Arguably, Yvonne. Gary clearly wasn't happy in the 90's to begin with and most of his problems stem from trying to juggle his life with her and his life with Phoebe.

One could argue that the fact Gary keeps going back to the past is a clear indication that its the only place he actually is happy in and all his problems stem from his time-period. Its also worth noting that apart from Ron, we never see Gary engage with any other friends in his present. Compare that with the numerous relationships he forges in the 40's, definitely signifies a lot about where Gary would rather be. No Celebrities Were Harmed : Averted, many famous characters appear in the 1940s segments...but of course none of them are around to complain about their portrayal. In later series, Noï¿½l Coward was a recurring character and Clement Attlee appears in the final episode. Also Robert Maxwell, and George Formby. Oh Crap! : Gary, when Phoebe and Yvonne come face to face in "When Two Worlds Collide". Pass the Popcorn : In one of Gary's nightmares, he's confronted by both Yvonne and Phoebe whilst Ron also calls him out on his behavior towards him. The women then demand Gary choose between them while Ron sits watching and tucks into a bag of popcorn.

Politically Correct History : Subverted in the episode The Yanks are Coming. Two black American soldiers find themselves the victim of racism via a Southern American Sergeant. Also notable in the kind but surprised reactions of Phoebe and Reg who had never seen black men in the East End before. Portal Slam : Gary finds himself trapped in 1945 in the final episode. Real Song Theme Tune : "Goodnight Sweetheart" was a popular 1930s song by Ray Noble. Rule of Cool : The writers make no attempt to explain why only certain people can use the time portals or why they can be affected by outside influences such as lightning, bombs and rescuing future British Prime Ministers. Probably for the best. This could be a case of Fridge Brilliance ; the first two instances can be explained as the result of the time portal being hit with a large blast of energy (from lightning, or the bomb) temporarily destabilising its normal effect. In the last case, it was mentioned in an episode early in the final season that time agents from the future had identified Gary's time portal and were working on closing it. Presumably, they finished the job just as Gary was saving Clement Atlee's life, leading him to become stuck there.

San Dimas Time / Meanwhile, in the Future... : Rarely used but occasionally crop up, for example in the last episode where Gary's message to Ron and Yvonne in the future appears as he writes it in the past. Sesquipedalian Loquaciousness : Ron sometimes talks like this. As Gary puts it, "He never uses one word when ten will do." Set Right What Once Went Wrong : In the present, Gary is upset to discover that his grown-up son Michael has fallen on hard times and is selling some of Phoebe's belongings. Gary therefore returns to the past and arranges for Michael to receive the royalties from a song he "wrote" in the 1940s. When Gary meets Michael again, he finds that the money helped him and he is now more prosperous and married with children. Nicholas Lyndhurst reunites with Elizabeth Carling and Emma Amos for Goodnight Sweetheart | Daily Mail Online comments Nicholas Lyndhurst was reunited with former co-stars Elizabeth Carling and Emma Amos this week as the cast of Goodnight Sweetheart converged for a script run-through in Central London.

The nineties show about a time-travelling TV repairman is poised to return for a one-off BBC special as part of the broadcasting giant’s Landmark Sitcom Season. Gathering for a read-through this week, Lyndhurst, 55, was seen for the first time with his co-stars since the show’s six-year run came to an end in 1999. The old gang: Nicholas Lyndhurst was reunited with former co-stars Elizabeth Carling (L) and Emma Amos (R) this week as the cast of Goodnight Sweetheart converged for a script run-through in Central London. How it was: Lyndhurst played Gary Sparrow, a time-travelling TV repairman leading a double life - one with ambitious wife Yvonne (played by Emma Amos, left) in contemporary London and another with pub barmaid Phoebe (Elizabeth Carling, right) in the the same area during World War II.

The show enjoyed a six-year run before airing its final episode in 1999 The actor played Gary Sparrow in the show - an accidental time traveller leading a double life after he discovers a time portal, bringing him away from his unhappy marriage to ambitious wife Yvonne, played by Amos. RELATED ARTICLES Share 1.7k shares The magical device allowed him to travel between Nineties East London and the same area during the Second World War, where he begins a relationship with pub barmaid Phoebe, who he eventually marries. Amos stepped into the role of Yvonne after replacing actress Michelle Holmes half-way through its six year spell on the BBC, while Carling took over as Phoebe in 1997, a role initially played by Dervla Kirwan. Back together: Other returning stars include Christopher Ettridge as PC Reg Deadman (far left) and Victor McGuire.

The one-off special will also include a host of new faces, among them Tim Preston as Gary (back, centre) and Phoebe's teenage son Michael (far right) and Amos's real-life daughter Esme Coy as Yvonne's daughter Ellie (centre) Other returning stars include Christopher Ettridge as PC Reg Deadman and Victor McGuire, who played Gary's best friend Ron Wheatcroft. The on-off special will also include a host of new faces, among them Tim Preston as Gary and Phoebe's teenage son Michael. Amos's real-life daughter Esme Coy also joins the cast as Yvonne's daughter Ellie. Going back in time: Michelle Holmes (L) originally played Phoebe, while Dervla Kirwan (R) was originally cast as Yvonne Double life: After hitting screens in 1993, the popular series will return as a one-off special as part of an anniversary special to mark 60 years since the launch of Hancock's Half Hour Goodnight Sweetheart ran for six seasons with 58 episodes before wrapping up in 1999, followed Gary's struggles to maintain his double life in both the past and the present.

In a touching sentiment, the show's writers, Laurence Marks and Maurice Gran said Gary had been 'trying for the last 17 years to find a way back to the present'. BBC Comedy Commissioning controller Shane Allen revealed the anniversary series 'geared towards giving comedy royalty their due recognition' Back to the present: In a touching sentiments, the show's writers, Laurence Marks and Maurice Gran said Gary had been 'tying for the last 17 years to find a way back to the present' He said: 'In Goodnight Sweetheart, we have heavyweight writing and performing talents reunited in this hugely popular and fondly remembered show. 'The conceptual update is sublime and it was heart-skipping stuff to read - it's an absolute belter.' Other classic shows set to return include Are You Being Served?, Steptoe and Son, Till Death Us Do Part, Porridge, Keeping Up Appearances and Up Pompeii!.

Back in the day: The magical device allowed him to travel between Nineties London and the same area during the Second World War, where he begins a relationship with Phoebe, who he eventually marries BBC sitcom Goodnight Sweetheart returning for one-off special | Daily Mail Online comments Beloved BBC sitcom Goodnight Sweetheart is returning to screens. The show, starring actor Nicholas Lyndhurst, told the story of a time-travelling TV repairman with a second life in 1940s London, with relationships in the past and present. After hitting screens in 1993, the popular series will return as a one-off special as part of an anniversary special to mark 60 years since the launch of Hancock's Half Hour. Scroll down for video Going back in time: Beloved BBC sitcom Goodnight Sweetheart is returning to screens The anniversary celebrations for the BBC radio comedy, and later television series, which broadcast from 1954 to 1961, will see the return of a host of TV favourites. Nicholas played Gary Sparrow in the show - an accidental time traveller leading a double life after he discovered a time portal, bringing him away from his unhappy marriage to ambitious wife Yvonne.

RELATED ARTICLES Share this article Share The magical device allowed him to travel between Nineties London and the same area during the Second World War, where he begins a relationship with Phoebe, who he eventually marries. The programme, which ran for six seasons with 58 episodes before wrapping up in 1999, followed Gary's struggles to maintain his double life in both the past and the present. Double life: After hitting screens in 1993, the popular series will return as a one-off special as part of an anniversary special to mark 60 years since the launch of Hancock's Half Hour Other cast members included included Michelle Holmes as Yvonne, Dervla Kirwan as Phoebe and Victor McGuire as his best friend Ron Wheatcroft. In a touching sentiments, the show's writers, Laurence Marks and Maurice Gran said Gary had been 'trying for the last 17 years to find a way back to the present'.

BBC Comedy Commissioning controller Shane Allen revealed the anniversary series 'geared towards giving comedy royalty their due recognition' Back to the present: In a touching sentiments, the show's writers, Laurence Marks and Maurice Gran said Gary had been 'tying for the last 17 years to find a way back to the present' He said: 'In Goodnight Sweetheart, we have heavyweight writing and performing talents reunited in this hugely popular and fondly remembered show. 'The conceptual update is sublime and it was heart-skipping stuff to read - it's an absolute belter.' Other classic shows set to return include Are You Being Served?, Steptoe and Son, Till Death Us Do Part, Porridge, Keeping Up Appearances and Up Pompeii!. Back in the day: The magical device allowed him to travel between Nineties London and the same area during the Second World War, where he begins a relationship with Phoebe, who he eventually marries Goodnight Sweetheart cast reunite in new pictures that are making us so nostalgic Goodnight Sweetheart cast reunite in new pictures that are making us so nostalgic Well, *this* is a blast from the past.

Don't Miss Share August 04 2016 2:08 PM Share 11 hours ago 1:33 PM Share July 07 2016 11:34 AM Share May 20 2016 12:49 AM October 28 2016 12:00 PM Latest News Share 29 minutes ago 12:22 AM Share 50 minutes ago 12:01 AM Share 2 hours ago 10:44 PM 3 hours ago 9:43 PM Must Read Share 12 hours ago 12:00 PM Share 6 hours ago 6:01 PM 7 hours ago 5:23 PM © BBC Pictures 5 August 2016 2:38 PM Shares The cast of Goodnight Sweetheart have come together for a read-through in central London, giving us all kinds of nostalgic feelings.

Nicholas Lyndhurst, as time-travelling Gary Sparrow, will be joined by some very familiar faces including Elizabeth Carling and Emma Amos, who will be reprising their roles as Gary's wives Phoebe and Yvonne. Goodnight Sweetheart is coming back to BBC One as part of its Landmark Sitcom Season, celebrating the heritage and legacy of comedy over the past 60 years. Advertisement - Continue Reading Below Christopher Ettridge returns as PC Reg Deadman, and Victor McGuire's also back as Gary's best friend, Ron Wheatcroft. © BBC Pictures Tim Preston will play Gary and Phoebe's son Michael Sparrow, a returning character from the original series who's now a teenager. And Esme Coy also joins the cast as Yvonne Sparrow's 21st century daughter Ellie. Keeping it within the family, Esme is also Emma Amos's real-life daughter, and they're appearing on screen together for the very first time.

Original creators Laurence Marks and Maurice Gran have written a brand new script which sees Gary Sparrow facing the consequences of his time travel and go somewhere he's never been before, as Goodnight Sweetheart is about to be catapulted into the 21st century. The Beeb will be revisiting some of Britain's iconic sitcoms this autumn including Are You Being Served? and Porridge. And Kerry Howard will play the inimitable Hyacinth Bucket – before she started pronouncing it 'Bou-QUET' – in Young Hyacinth, a prequel to Keeping Up Appearances.

Question: Which time travelling character did Nicholas Lyndhurst portray in the sitcom "Goodnight Sweetheart"
Answer: Gary Sparrow